Middle English Dictionary Entry
eied ppl.
Entry Info
| Forms | eied ppl. Also eid(e, eiid, eighed, eiȝed(e, eghed, eghid, eȝid, ied(e, iid, iȝed, ihed, ihied & iiȝed. |
| Etymology | From eie n.(1) |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Having eyes of a certain kind: (a) eied as Argus, Argus-eyed, i.e. watchful, prudent, or wise to an extraordinary degree; (b) blere ~ [see also blere-eied, adj.]; bright ~, as noun: a clear-eyed or sharp-eyed person; diverse ~, having varicolored or mottled eyes; gogel-eied, q.v.; on-eied, q.v.; sore ~, having sore or inflamed eyes; wald-eȝed, q.v.; walden-eied, q.v.; walnied, q.v.
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1459 : Youre fader is in sleght as Argus eyed.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.383 : A good knyht, Eied as Argus with resoun and forsiht.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.803 : Eyed as Argus in ther hih prouidence.
- a1450(c1433) Lydg.St.Edm.(Hrl 2278)381/242 : Eyed as Argus be vertuous prouidence.
b
- c1390 Hilton ML (Vrn)274 : Lia was fruiteful, but heo was sore-eiȝede.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1857 : It makth a blind man to behelde, And a bryht yhed seme derk.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4562 : Tantalus, Of sangwyn hewe, havyng moche of red, Diuers eyed, ay mevyng in his hed.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Gen.29.17 : Lya was blere iȝed [L lippis..oculis].
2.
Of cheese: ?containing holes.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)320b/b : Chese y-yȝed [L vnctus] and y-restored [vr. yrosted; L assus] is nouȝt so euel as chese wiþ many yȝen and holes, for soundnesse of substaunce is tokne of fatnesse & of moysture.